now,' Alice said, speaking with
embarrassment, and pointing towards the road. 'You remember Mr. Keene?
I met him. He says he wrote that in the "Chronicle." He would like to
speak to you if you'll let him.'

'I shall be glad to,' Adela replied, with a look of curiosity.

They walked to the garden gate. Mr. Keene was just outside; Alice
beckoned to him to enter. His appearance was a great improvement on the
old days; he had grown a beard, and in his eye you saw the responsible
editor. Altogether he seemed to have gained in moral solidity. None the
less, his manner of approaching Adela, hat in hand, awoke reminiscences
of the footlights.

'It is a great pleasure to me to see you, Mrs. Mutimer. I trust that
my few comments on your admirable letter were of a nature to afford you
satisfaction.'

'Thank you very much, Mr. Keene,' Adela replied. 'You wrote very
kindly.'

'I am amply rewarded,' he said, bowing low. 'And now that I have had my
desire, permit me to hasten away. My duty calls me into the town.'

He again bowed low to Adela, smiled a farewell to Alice, and departed.

The two walked together in the garden. Adela turned to her companion.

'I think you knew Mr. Keene a long time ago?'

'Yes, a long time. He once asked me to marry him.'

Adela replied only with a look.

'And he's asked me again this morning,' Alice pursued, breaking off a
leaf from an elder bush.

'And you--?'

'I didn't refuse him this time,' Alice replied with confidence.

'I am very glad, very glad. He has been faithful to you so long that I
am sure he will make you happy.'

Alice no longer concealed her joy. It was almost exultation. Natural
enough under the circumstances, poor, disinherited Princess! Once more
she felt able to face people; once more she would have a name. She began
to talk eagerly.

'Of course I shall just go back to tell mother, but we are going to be
married in three weeks. He has already decided upon a house; we went to
see it this morning. I didn't like to tell you, but I met him for the
first time a week ago--quite by chance.'

'I'm afraid your mother will be lonely,' Adela said.

'Not she! She'd far rather live alone than go anywhere else. And now I
shall be able to send her money. It isn't fair for you to have to find
everything.'

'I have wanted to ask you,' Adela said presently, 'do you ever hear of
Harry?'

Alice shook her head.

'The less we hear the better,' she replied. 'He's gone to the bad